Debut Albums and Important Thing free essay sample

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An Analysis of Singing to Wolves Essay -- Singing to Wolves

 An Analysis of â€Å"Singing to Wolves†Ã¢ â â â â â â  The poem,â â€Å"Singing to Wolves† is an advanced poem,â that attempts to disclose to the peruser how brilliant isolation is,â yet in addition considers it’s negative side,â with the case of a desolate girl.â The sonnet begins with a short experience into the historical backdrop of Wales,â and discusses the Llanthony monks,â who the peruser is told were disliked by the Welsh,â and accordingly headed to a forlorn life in the wilderness.â By perusing this poem,â it appears just as being disliked is a famous purpose behind solitude.â After this concise knowledge into Wales’ history the peruser is then reclaimed to the domains of cutting edge living.  â€Å"Why should we remain here singing to wolves?†  This initial sentence appears to go about as a sort of question,â which is replied over the span of the poem.â from the get go it seems like an idiotic thing to do,â yet in the end the peruser understands that the wolves become extremely emblematic in the poem.â Wolves are thought of as being heartless trackers of the wilderness,â and one could barely envision them being intrigued by the singing of any individual. For the priests the Wolves were those that detested them (the Welsh),â and by â€Å"singing† to them,â they were really attempting to persuade them regarding their conviction etc.â And seeing as nobody at any point tuned in to them,â they should sing to the wolves,â as they accept the same amount of notice of them.  â â â â â â â However the wolves likewise have another fascinating allegorical significance with regards to the poem.â These days they no longer meander Britain,â and have all kicked the bucket out,&nb... ...flowers†¦Ã¢â‚¬   Another intriguing thing that the artist utilizes is semicolons.â These are utilized all through the three stanza’s.â The purpose of these semicolons is to cause the sentences to appear longer,â and carry a specific measure of coherence to it.  â€Å"†¦said Llanthony monks;â and left for delicate living†¦Ã¢â‚¬   When one has perceived the thoughts behind the text,â one understands that the sonnet attempts to make the peruser consider the world he lives in,â and possibly brief him into looking all the more profoundly into his method of life,â and make an effort not to just follow the example that every other person makes.â The artist has wear this by utilizing the case of the priests in the past years,â and the young lady in our cutting edge world.â Maybe he needs the peruser to locate a medium between turning into a statistic,â and singing to wolves.

Essay Writing Process Main Steps and Useful Tips

Essay Writing Process Main Steps and Useful Tips Writing any kind of essay is not a simple work that requires a lot of time, ability to plan, patience, and of course, some knowledge and experience in writing. Thats why for many students making an essay seems something awful and hard. But its not like that if you know the main steps of writing. Even if you have not got enough experience in writing, its possible to create a good paper using effective tips and suggestions. In this article, we will tell you everything about essay writing process. You will learn how to plan your future paper and how to create it properly. Its quite important to stick a clear plan in writing, then your finished paper will be well-structured, logical, and easy to understand by the readers. Now, read our guide, follow our tips and hints, and make a successful work to impress your audience and get a high grade! The elements of an essay Before we provide you with the main information about the process of writing an essay, we suggest reading about the essays elements. Each paper has a certain number of elements that build its structure. Here is a standard structure of an essay: Introduction â€" this is the first part of your work where you have to introduce the topic to readers as well as explain the goal of writing this paper. At the end of this paragraph, you have to put a thesis statement â€" a sentence or two that reflects the main idea of your essay. The body part â€" this is the biggest part of your work, where you put detailed information about the subject and support the argument with evidence. Its better to divide this part into several paragraphs (standard essays usually have 3 paragraphs in the body part). Each paragraph should contain the one argument supported by evidence. Conclusion â€" this is a short part of your work where you have to sum up everything you said before shortly and finish your paper logically. How to write an essay in 5 steps The process of writing a paper can be divided into five easy steps. We are going to view each of them below and give you detailed information about every step. Prewriting stage. This step includes the next things: Brainstorming ideas for the future essay; Choosing a successful and bright title; Making research on the subject and looking for the information you may include in your future work. During this stage, you should make notes; Creating a detailed outline of your future essay. This is a skeleton of your paper, and it will be very helpful in the next step. Writing stage. This step contains making the first draft of your essay according to the detailed outline. We suggest planning your time beforehand; its not necessary to write the entire paper right away, but you can create it by paragraphs and following steps on how to write an essay. Revising stage. Re-read your draft and recompose your essay if needed. You may add something here and cross out there; feel free to do it as many times as you need, until you are sure that your paper is written in accordance with a structure. Editing stage. Here you should put attention on errors. We suggest reading your work aloud to find and correct logical mistakes and misprints. You can also use online software to check your paper for grammar errors and make corrections in accordance with suggestions. Another good advice is to ask your friend, relative, or colleague to read your paper. This may help to find more errors as well as get critique about your work. Printing out/ publishing stage. Print out the final version of your paper for checking. If you are going to publish your work, you will have to provide the publisher (website, newspaper or magazine) with a cover letter that contains detailed and clear information about your essays title, description, author, and some other important issues. As you can see, these are quite easy steps to write an essay, and we hope you will follow the plan we shared. Tips on writing an effective essay We already discussed what are the steps to write an essay, and now we want to give you more useful tips to create a bright and strong paper: Read essay examples. This will help you to analyze how the successful writers build and structure their papers as well as improve your language. You can learn a lot by reading essays from other people and pick some techniques that will help you to create a good paper. Read books and newspapers to improve your vocabulary. Dont be lazy to check the unknown word in the dictionary, this will help you to learn many new words you didnt know before and use them in your writing. When writing, dont pay too much attention to errors and misprints â€" according to steps to write an essay, you will get enough time for corrections on editing stage. Dont let yourself to be distracted from writing and putting your thoughts, ideas, and conclusions into the solid story. Dont put too many quotes into your work; this may make your own voice very weak. Thats why its important to mix citations with your own thoughts and opinion. We suggest making the first paragraph of your essay at the end of your work. The introduction is not easy to create, so its much easier to do when the entire paper is written already. We hope this guide about essay writing process steps was helpful, and you learned a lot of important things that will help you to create a bright and interesting work.

Is Shylock The Villain Or Victim In The Merchant Of Venice...

Character Analysis Shylock Is Shylock the villain or the victim in the Merchant of Venice? In the play the ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare the antagonist Shylock is both the victim and the villain. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender and is initially portrayed as anger filled and bloodthirsty but as the play continues we begin to see him as more human and his emotions become more evident. As the antagonist, Shylock is a fearful adversary to Antonio, the protagonist. But as good begins to win over evil, Shylock is crushed and we see evidence of his mortality in his grief. Shylock changes significantly though out the course of the play and he is formed into a too complex character to be labeled just victim or villain. Shylock is†¦show more content†¦In Act 2 Scene 4 Jessica decides to leave her father and her home to elope with a Christian man Lorenzo. This strengthens the concept of Shylock being a heartless villain because his child feels she must leave without a word of her desires. This shows that Jessica knows that her father would not listen to or consider her feelings for Lorenzo so she must steal and run away from him. On the night she leaves she says with little remorse ‘Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost.’ This shows that her childhood was not happy and that she was ‘ashamed to be her father’s daughter’. This is further evidence of Shylocks heartlessness. Shylock is also the victim when Jessica leaves. He loses his only child, that underneath his cold exterior it becomes apparent he loves her and struggles with the depth of his grief. He loses hold on his business and walks through the streets morning the loss of his child to the men he detests. He cries in anguish ‘The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now†¦. My own flesh and blood to rebel! I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.’ This scene evokes compassion towards Shylock but he is tormented more by Salario and Salanio. This shows him as a repentant father, a man a victim to his child’s will and prejudice surrounding his race. Another factor in Shylocks character that leads to him being perceived as the villain is that he is parsimonious. He will not give orShow MoreRelatedShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice I am a Jew a famous saying from Shylock in Merchant of Venice that clarifies the merchant brotherhood of a wealthy city. Merchant of Venice contains rascals and heroes. The audiences will soon realise that Shylock, the Jewish money lender, is shown as a villain within the wealthy city. Is this really what Shakespeare had intended? This testimony given proposes that Shylock is more of a deceitful character Read MoreThe Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a Villain or a Victim? Essay846 Words   |  4 Pagestry to discover is Shylock a villain or a victim, in the William Shakespeare play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† It is difficult to say if Shylock is a complete villain or a victim, as his character is complex and ambiguous. However, it is difficult to view Shylock as anything other than a devious, bloodthirsty and heartless villain in the majority of the play. There are a few points in the story where he can be viewed as victimised, as most Jews were at that time, but Shakespeare has purposely portrayedRead MoreIs Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice763 Words   |  4 PagesIs Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice in the Elizabethan period. The play is about Shylock, a Jewish money lender ¡: trying to make a living and survive in a community that despises him and marginalias him. Before the plot even starts, Shylock is condemned for being a Jew, and a moneylender. Jews were forbidden to be successful businessmen in Venice, so the only occupation open to him Read MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1694 Words   |  7 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Introduction One of the most interesting and dramatic characters in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is the rich, despised money-lending Jew Shylock. It is impossible to judge Shylock’s character by our own modern Standards, simple because Shakespeare wrote this play for play goers in Elizabethan times. This was very different to modern times for two reasons. Firstly, people watching the play would not find itRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice and Shylock Offering901 Words   |  4 Pagesactually bad or the other way around. In The merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, shylock, the money lending Jew, is seen more like a villain then a victim. Shylock is a villain because he cares more about his money then he cares about his daughter, he is not merciful towards shylock and hewants a pound of flesh from Antonio for hi revenge. First of all shylock is a villain because he cares more about his ducats then his daughter, Jessica. Shylock cares more about his money then his daughterRead MoreEssay The Merchant of Venice Shylock Villain or Victim777 Words   |  4 PagesShylock, Villain or victim? The Merchant of Venice June 8th, 2011 In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist, the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. But the way Shylock is portrayed is more along the lines of being both victim and villain. Shylock is out for one pound of Antonio’s flesh which will in the end kill Antonio and the flesh will do him no good anyway. But heRead MoreDefining Shylock from William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1606 Words   |  7 PagesDefining Shylock from William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice For hundreds of years, the Jews had lived in their ancestral home- Palestine- but when they were exiled in about the year 400AD, they scattered throughout Europe and formed a Diaspora: a community of exiled people. When the Roman Empire deteriorated, many of the Jews returned to Palestine, and were ruled by the Turks, then the British, eventually got their own state in 1946. In 1066, when Jews cameRead MoreDetermining Whether there is a Presence of Anti-Semitism in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice893 Words   |  4 PagesDetermining Whether there is a Presence of Anti-Semitism in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice It is quite clear when reading The Merchant of Venice that there is a large focus on Shylock being a Jew. This is very prominent in his I am a Jew speech he, the Jewish moneylender, angry and betrayed, rails against the non-Jewish world which torments him. Antonio hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned myRead More Shylock : a Villain in appearance, a Victim at heart Essay2014 Words   |  9 Pageswho could be on either side of the fence. The character could have both good and evil aspects, creating a complex personality. In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there is an example of one of those characters. Shylock could be one of the most controversial characters ever created. Some people believe he is a victim, while others say he is a villain. In order to trace this idea we should know why people in the Elizabethan era hates Jews. Rodrigo Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese decentRead MoreAnti-Semitism and Racism in the Merchant of Venice1019 Words   |  5 PagesAnti-Semitism and racism in The Merchant Of Venice. Anti-Semitism and the desecration of the Jewish population have been in existence for nearly five thousand years. In William Shakespeares â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†, we find that one of the characters is the subject and expression of anti-Semitic attitude that is persistent in Elizabethan society. William Shakespeares â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† contains many examples that insult Jewish heritage because they were the minority in London in Shakespearean

Recommendation Of A Company On Aerospace Manufacturing...

I recommend to the board to buy a stock in Boeing. Boeing is a well-established aerospace manufacturing company with a high dividend yield. It had made substantial positive gains. Some of Boeing’s strengths include strong market position, increase in global aerospace and defense spending, increase in passenger travel, decreased expenses, and increased operational performance. I believe our company will benefit from Boeings high dividend yield and receive positive gains. Aerospace manufacturing is an industry aimed towards markets that produce commercial jetliners, defense aircraft, space systems, and other related products. The two major markets are Aerospace and defense. Several manufacturing companies and suppliers are well known for producing and supplying the aircrafts that are used every day. Some of these major players have contracts in place to produce aircraft with government and air transportation companies. Some of the same major companies also have contracts with smaller companies to produce certain products. Transportation aircraft would be considered the biggest segment of the aircraft industry. These aircrafts vary in size and in function and are responsible for transporting people and freight all over the world. The airline industry plays a pivotal role in the success of aerospace products, with NASA and the Department of Defense being the largest United States customers of aerospace technology and products. Valuation Discussion Compared toShow MoreRelatedCma Solutions63195 Words   |  253 PagesGroup Inc. Contribution margin analysis (MA) Paradox Manufacturing Limited Shanks Golf School Epic Ltd. Worldtech Cost behaviour (MA) Brookfield Gearbox Products Cost of capital (CF) Windsor Co. Ltd. Harvard Industrial Tools Inc. Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis (MA) Lupizan Inc. Epic Ltd. Decision analysis under uncertainty (MA) Fleeliner Company Slick Ltd. Worldtech Departmental costing and cost allocation (MA) Peters Company Ltd. Shanks Golf School CMA Canada 2 EntranceRead MoreEssay about Boeing Company Analysis15946 Words   |  64 PagesBoeing [pic] Presented by: Urvishkumar Patel Amitkumar Patel Bhavikkumar Patel Manojkumar Patel Vishal Patel Jonathan Mayes MG - 640 Management Policy Dr. Santanu Borah July 27, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 Company Overview 5 Boeing Commercial Airplanes 5 Boeing Integrated Defense Systems 6 Boeing Capital Corporation 6 Background 7 Sales/Operations 9 Constituent Contributions to Corporate Portfolio and Revenue 12 Market Share, RevenuesRead MoreAnnual Report Rolls-Royce78484 Words   |  314 PagesreVIew 01 Introduction and highlights 02 Chairman’s statement 04 Chief Executive’s review 08 Our consistent strategy 20 Market outlook 22 Key performance indicators 26 Principal risks and uncertainties 28 Review of operations 28 civil aerospace 30 defence aerospace 32 marine 34 energy 36 engineering and technology 38 operations 40 Services 42 Sustainability 48 Finance Director’s review goVernAnce 56 56 58 58 59 62 63 63 64 67 78 80 81 81 Chairman’s introduction Board of directors The Group ExecutiveRead MoreFundamaental Analysis of LT18739 Words   |  75 Pagesexample of Larsen and Toubro specifically taken for analysis as it is the top rated private sector infrastructure company in India. Also this company is known for its world class management style. Execution skill of this company is unmatched by any other private as well as government company in India. This report is an opportunity to understand the valuation aspects of diversified company like Lamp;T. Also it will help us to understand how the corporate management as well as financial decisions areRead MoreDamodaran Book on Investment Valuation, 2nd Edition398423 Words   |  1594 PagesRisk Premiums Chapter 8: Estimating Risk Parameters and Costs of Financing Chapter 9: Measuring Earnings Chapter 10: From Earnings to Cash Flows Chapter 11: Estimating Growth Chapter 12: Closure in Valuation: Estimating Termina l Value Chapter 13: Dividend Discount Models Chapter 14: Free Cashflow to Equity Models Chapter 15: Firm Valuation: Cost of Capital and APV Approaches Chapter 16: Estimating Equity Value Per Share Chapter 17: Fundamental Principles of Relative Valuation Chapter 18: EarningsRead MoreSupply Chain Management12177 Words   |  49 PagesMANAGEMENT 2 1 1.1 DESCRIPTION What is the Supply Chain Management (SCM) The best companies around the world are discovering a powerful new source of competitive advantage. It s called supply-chain management and it encompasses all of those integrated activities that bring product to market and create satisfied customers. The Supply Chain Management Program integrates topics from manufacturing operations, purchasing, transportation, and physical distribution into a unified program. SuccessfulRead MoreFinancial Analysis of General Electric98175 Words   |  393 Pages5 2008 2009 2010 2011 $85B FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY GE had $85 billion of cash and equivalents at year-end 2011. 70% DIVIDEND INCREASES GE announced two dividend increases in 2011 following two increases in 2010: a total 70% increase over the two years. 12.5 11.3 14.1 13.0 CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES (CFOA) (In $ billions) 2007 23.3 GECS Dividend 16.0 Industrial CFOA 19.1 16.4 16.8 14.7 2008 2009 2010 18% INTERNATIONAL GROWTH 2011 $18B U.S. EXPORTS InternationalRead MoreCase Studies67624 Words   |  271 Pagesin cases and presenting the results, active learners (that is, students) become skilled at effectively using the tools, techniques and concepts that combine to form the strategic management process. The cases that follow are concerned with actual companies. Presented within the cases are problems and situations that managers and those with whom they work must analyse and resolve. As you will see, a strategic management case can focus on an entire industry, a single organisation or a business unit ofRead MoreI Love Reading Essay69689 Words   |  279 PagesRegistration of new companies according to nature of economic activity Motivation to become an entrepreneur Highest motivation – Variations according to region Motivation – Variations according to gender Motivation – Variations according to age Motivation – Variations according to family background Motivation – Variations according to time periods Motivation – Variations according to level of work experience Positive factors Positive factors – Variations according to gender Positive factors – VariationsRead MoreMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 PagesR O D U C T I O N Preparing an effective case analysis: The full story Hearing with the aid of implanted technology: The case of Cochlearâ„ ¢ – an Australian C A S E O N E high-technology leader Delta Faucet: Global entrepreneurship in an emerging market C A S E T W O DaimlerChrysler: Corporate governance dynamics in a global company C A S E T H R E E Gunns and the greens: Governance issues in Tasmania C A S E F O U R Succeeding in the Sydney indie music industry C A S E F I V E Nucor in 2005 C A S E

The Arrival Free Essays

English Speech The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a graphic novel which follows the story of a man who embarks on the journey of migration. The notions of belonging that are highlighted in the text are belonging to a place and belonging to a family. The composer establishes these through the masterful employment of various visual techniques. We will write a custom essay sample on The Arrival or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the foremost themes of the novel is the concept of belonging to a place, in particular the connection to a homeland. A disturbance in the main environment signifies as the stimulating factor for the disruption of the man’s sense of belonging. There exists an fragmented sense of existence in the old land, something that is established primarily by the ominous, malicious serpent like figures that force the man’s departure and his search for a new way of life. Tan’s symbolic representation of the serpents as the threatening and severe influences in the early pages of the novel drives the man out of his homeland as it is is a source of unease and discomfort for his family. Upon entering the unknown land the man feels alienated from the new way of life that he is faced with. The author highlights this through the use of various shades of grey which are evidence of the shared melancholy of the migrants. Furthermore the positioning of all the migrants huddled up together reinforces the turmoil and hardship that they have collectively encountered. The use of dark and malicious tones and the overshadowing images of the technologically averse boat that towers over the migrants furthers their insignificance and defencelessness. The commonality with fellow migrants is carried throughout the novel and it soon becomes a source of solace for the man who is otherwise alien to the new world. Tan uses flashback scenes to illustrate the man’s opportunity to connect with his fellow migrants. Tan uses darker tones in the flashback scenes and the tumultuous journeys of the other migrants are elicited. Our protagonist is able to relate to their troubled background and this allows the connection between the two parties. The man is drawn into their stories and this is highlighted greatly through the change in tone to a grim, darkened one which the reader appreciates to be both captivating and intriguing. Tan is thus able to illustrate to his audience, a true appreciation of belonging to a place and its connotations. In addition to this, belonging to a family is a key concept in this novel. The novel opens with an alluring introduction to the family; a blissful atmosphere is created through the picturesque icons of their family life. The composer uses small photograph like icons to allude towards the widely acknowledged contentment that is readily associated with the memories in a picture album. Tan introduces the motif of the paper crane which he carries through the length of his novel as a symbol of affection and belonging between the family members. The next pages signify the break in contentment as the man begins his journey and a salient image of the couple with their hands grasping the other’s parallels the anxiety and despair in their downcast facial expressions. Although the gloomy atmosphere, the light sepia tones in the picture allow an insight into the tender and loving relationship that the family members share. Upon the man’s departure the paper crane motif returns and he hands it to his daughter as a token of his undying love for her. His migratory experience is studded by the comfort and ease that he obtains from a picture of his family. In paralleled scenes on the boat and the new apartment, the man is seen reminiscing his time with family. He dines with and converses with the picture, the repetition of which is significantly indicative of the unfaltering sense of belonging he feels to them. In both scenes, the composer then zooms out to illustrate the man’s isolation in the ostensibly large structure that he resides in and the reader can then truly appreciate his sense of solace in the people from the picture. Through the use of these various techniques the concept of belonging to family is emphasised. The Arrival can now be truly appreciated as a graphic novel with allusions to the intricate and complex nature of belonging. In particular belonging to a family and to a place was discussed today and I hope I did justice to the carefully developed messages that Tan portrays. The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a graphic novel which follows the story of a man who embarks on the journey of migration. The notions of belonging that are highlighted in the text are belonging to a place and belonging to a family. The composer establishes these through the masterful employment of various visual techniques. | One of the foremost themes of the novel is the concept of belonging to a place, in particular the connection to a homeland. A disturbance in the main environment signifies as the stimulating factor for the disruption of the man’s sense of belonging. | There exists an fragmented sense of existence in the old land, something that is established primarily by the ominous, malicious serpent like figures that force the man’s departure and his search for a new way of life. Tan’s symbolic representation of the serpents as the threatening/menacing authoritarian influences in the early pages of the novel drives the man out of his homeland as it is is a source of unease and discomfort for his family| Upon entering the unknown land the man feels alienated from the new way of life that he is faced with. The author highlights this through the use of various shades of grey which are evidence of the shared melancholy of the migrants. | Furthermore the positioning of all the migrants huddled up together reinforces the turmoil and hardship that they have collectively encountered. | | | How to cite The Arrival, Essay examples

Achitophel and the Nightingale free essay sample

A comparative analysis of Drydens Achitophel and Keats nightingale. This paper compares Drydens Achitophel, from his much celebrated political allegory Absalom and Achitophel, with Keats nightingale, from the first of his famous May odes, Ode to a Nightingale. Several common characteristics, such as their profound psychological influence over others are outlined. In Drydens work, Achitophel, the symbolic representation of the Earl of Shaftesbury, gains the ear of Davids ambitious son Absalom (i.e., Charles IIs illegitimate progeny, the Duke of Monmouth). Achitophel encourages Absalom to believe that he could be and should be Davids rightful successor to the throne. Of course, for many in Drydens time, including Dryden himself, there remained the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, and it would therefore be the sole choice of a leader to choose his successor, no questions asked. Any attempt to manipulate or influence that process would be nothing short of high treason, hence the poem and its allegorical re-telling of the scandal that rocked the English government in 1680. We will write a custom essay sample on Achitophel and the Nightingale or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

U.S. and Vietnams Misperceptions during the Vietnam Conflict free essay sample

This paper explains how the U.S. and Vietnams misperceptions of each other affected the way they fought the war, mentioning the My Lai massacre and the affect this had on the way Vietnamese perceived the United States. Because of the way the Americans fought this war, the Vietnamese had different perceptions or misperceptions of the United States. All of the assigned readings make this point valid. Many of the Vietnamese civilians saw the American soldiers as instruments for Americas leaders wanting their war machine to defeat the North Vietnamese, not to help Vietnam, but just to win. American leaders were making their decisions by listening to certain people who didnt really know what they were dealing with. This paper explains how the Americans misunderstood the Vietnamese and what went wrong when they tried to take over the fight between North and South Vietnam. After reading the assigned books for this paper, I have come to the conclusion that the way the US fought this war was not very honorable. We will write a custom essay sample on U.S. and Vietnams Misperceptions during the Vietnam Conflict or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The American military leaders back in the United States did not know enough about what was really going on in Vietnam and as a direct result, they underestimated the power of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Regular Army. Herr makes this evident when he says there is a point of view that the United States got involved in the Vietnam War simply because we thought it would be easy.1

English Sample Thesis Essays

English Sample Thesis Essays English Sample Thesis Essay English Sample Thesis Essay English Sample Thesis: Such universal values explored in Frankenstein and Blade Runner do not change over time, it is merely our perceptions The dangers of knowledge and science in the hands of flawed and short-sighted humans Frankenstein * 19th Century = Age of enlightenment, Romanticism, Shelley points out the dangers of man’s obsession with immortality and how it blinds Frankenstein of his morals * Throughout Frankenstein, the reader is left with the feeling that Victors obsessive desire to defeat nature, through the creation of another life, directly led to the many tragedies that befell him, Learn from me, if not by my precept, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow. * Victor – Idyllic Childhood Romanticism/nature * Obsession with Collapse of morality and humanity to the point where the defin ition of what it means to be human is not defined Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.. (pg 100) Questions about the ambivalent nature of Batty’s role within the film are again raised by his final battle with Deckard. On a physical level Batty is far superior to the Blade Runner indeed his fair colouring almost mimics the Aryan ideal of a ‘superhuman’. However, as Deckard hangs off the edge of the building, Batty chooses to save his life and gives him his hand. This one deliberate act, done in the full knowledge of his own approaching death adds an element of tragic poignancy to the scene, further complicating the notion of the archetypal ‘villain’. Frankenstein and Blade Runner deal with similar content but in very different ways Due to their difference in context, Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s film Blade Runner convey similar timeless values in very different ways. Both composers critique society’s pursuit for knowledge and scientific development by questioning man’s right to play god. The collapse in morality of man is also pointed out as society is becoming increasingly governed by materialism to the extent where the definition of what it means to be human is superficial. The never ending pursuit for knowledge and scientific advancement is critiqued by Shelley in Frankenstein as she shows us the dangerous consequences of man’s attempt to play god. Walton’s longing for the â€Å"country of eternal light† represents the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment, with the light symbolising knowledge and the optimistic tone representing eighteenth-century scientific rationalists’ trust in knowledge as a pure good. It is this value that Shelley challenges through Frankenstein’s pursuit of the secret of life and ultimately, the creation of the monster. His thirst for power is revealed through his [insert language technique here], â€Å"a new species would bless me as its creator and source† which ultimately blinds him into an obsession to play God. Frankenstein’s cautionary tone as he warns Walton of â€Å"how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow†, demonstrates to us the values of Romanticism in the eighteenth century, where one’s bond with nature will lead to a happiness unattainable by knowledge. Shelley also questions man’s challenging of the religious paradigm of the time, where life was a God given quality, by showing us the devastating effects of playing god through Frankenstein’s realisation of his actions as the monster comes to life, â€Å"the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart†. Imagery is used to highlight the beauty with which Frankenstein saw science, but also the encroachment and ugliness of the monster, which in itself, is an extended metaphor for Industrialisation. The ultimate consequence of his lust for knowledge is the eventual destruction of everyone close to him by the monster as he laments through a defeated and remorseful tone, â€Å"William, Justine, and Henry-they all died by my hands†. Thus Shelley shows us the devastating consequences of the blind pursuit of knowledge and obsession with playing God. The danger of scientific development without any thought is also evident in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. However, Blade Runner’s portrayal of this notion is different from Frankenstein’s as the setting is utilized far more to establish the destructive nature of blind advancement in science. Written during a time of radical improvements in technology and science, the 1980’s film is the exaggerated and evolved consequence of Frankenstein’s actions. The mise-en-scene of the opening sequence uses a panoramic long shot of a hellish city with flames engulfing the nightscape accompanied by a bleak atonal sound track of synthesized instruments to show us the negativity of a world dominated by technology and science. Similar to Frankenstein, Tyrell plays God through creation of life, known as Replicants and his superiority is portrayed through the set design of his bedroom, where the fluorescent lighting from the candles create an almost spiritual atmosphere and the symbolism of chess, where he is the master chess player. His blindness to his creations’ needs is highlighted through the recurring motif of eyes. The size of his glasses and his death by eye gouging are used to exaggerate how he has become blinded by power and greed and how similarly, mankind will fall to their demise from their continual short-sightedness to not only genetic engineering, but also globalisation and materialism which were prominent at the time. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of vibrant billboard advertisements of Coca-Cola against the bleakness of the artificial landscape emphasise on how corporations are becoming increasingly dominant which can be seen as an exaggerated reflection of the massive growth of industry in the 1980s. And it is this difference in context which causes Scott to demonstrate the similar dangers of scientific and technological advancement without consideration of its effects to Shelley yet in a very different way. Shelley points out man’s collapse of morality in actions which has led to a superficial definition to what it means to be human. The benevolent nature of humans is pointed out through the Romantic imagery of Frankenstein’s parents as they are described as feeling a â€Å"necessity, a passion† to act as a â€Å"guardian angel to the afflicted. However, Victor’s obsession to knowledge and science resulted in a collapse of morals and he rejects his creation simply from its appearance, â€Å"Unable to endure†¦I rushed out of the room†¦I sought to avoid the wretch† which shows us how society has defined human based on appearance. However, the monster himself does display intrinsic human qualities, which is demonstrated by the use of an aphora as he empathises, â€Å"when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathized in their joys†. And such honest and pure attributes are what allows him to be accepted by the blind old man, â€Å"I am blind and cannot judge of your countenance, but there is something in your words which persuade me you are sincere†. The blindness of the old man symbolises a literal blindness to superficiality which shows us that traditionally humans were defined by their understanding nature. However, Safie, Agatha and Felix, whom represent the future generation, do judge the monster by his appearance and treat him as exactly that, demonstrated through the rhetorical question and their reactions, â€Å"Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me? Agatha fainted, Safie, rushed out of the cottage†¦Felix†¦tore me from his father†. And it is through this collapse of morals of mankind over time which has led to a superficial definition of what it means to be human. Scott also demonstrates how man’s degradation of morals has resulted in a superficial definition of what it means to be human. The humans in Blade Runner are even more lacking in empathy and compassion compared to those in Frankenstein, highlighting on how human relationships have deteriorated. Tyrell’s lack of concern for the Replicants is emphasised through his blunt tone as he remarks, â€Å"commerce is our goal† showing us that he only cares about money. He even labels Rachael as â€Å"an experiment, nothing more† as a close-up shot shows no signs of emotion, reinforcing how man’s lack of morals has changed our definition of what it means to be human. Society’s lack of compassion is further demonstrated through the aftermath of Deckard shooting Zhora, a replicant, with the mechanical and emotionless tone in â€Å"move on, move on† in conjunction with a medium shot portraying crowds simply walking on, showing no sign of concern. In direct contrast, Leon’s shocked facial expression shows that he, a Replicant, attains the human qualities that not even humans have which ironically shows us how Tyrell’s slogan â€Å"more human than human† is a reality with respect to the mental and emotional capacities of the Replicants. This notion is further resonated through Roy’s moving monologue on the beauties of life that will be lost in time comparing them in simile like â€Å"tears in rain† after saving Deckard in a last act of compassion. Similar to Frankenstein’s monster, the Replicants hold human qualities that not even humans hold, yet they are treated as products that can be discarded at will. Through this, Scott questions our definition of what it means to be human as a consequence of our collapse in morality.

Corporate Governance in an International Context Essay

Corporate Governance in an International Context - Essay Example of a board with the overall performance of firms by conducting an empirical research using a sample of 30 UK listed companies from Morningstar Company Intelligence. The method of data collection employed in this detailed analysis is random sample of thirty out of 1779 UK listed companies that were selected from the Morningstar Company Intelligence. As mentioned earlier, besides broad focus on the board of directors, the study included specific analysis of important aspects of companies, such as turnover, ROCE, EPS, number of employees, board size, percentage of non-UK activities turn over, number of non-executive directors, CEO/chair duality, number of female directors and international directors. Analysis of this information was very imperative in fulfilling objectives of the research. Subsequently, we utilized the tool of SPSS to acquire descriptive statistics of the raw data along with doing descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis that will be very effective in presenting the data in understandable manner. Empirical research is supposed to state a certain problem or a research question and then come up with theories and assumption. It is important to first design the research and after the methodology is determined, random sampling is employed so that the data can be gathered and analyzed. A sample is a â€Å"smaller (but hopefully representative) collection of units from a population used to determine truths about that population† (Field, Miles & Field, 2012). Sampling is important because it saves the time, energy and resources and gives results that can be calculated mathematically and are accurate. Probability sampling is a technique in which all elements e.g. people, families etc. have an opportunity to be included in the sample and the probability that any of them can be included mathematically. Simple random is a type of this technique and it selects the target population from the sampling frame in a completely random fashion. It is

I stand here ironing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

I stand here ironing - Essay Example This process begins when she receives a note from the school counselor saying: "She's a youngster who needs help and whom I'm deeply interested in helping." Emily was a bright child as the mother recalls: "She was a beautiful baby. She blew shining bubbles of sound. She loved motion, loved light, loved color, and music and textures. She would lie on the floor in her blue overalls patting the surface so hard in ecstasy her hands and feet would blur. She was a miracle to me, but when she was eight months old I had to leave her daytimes with the woman downstairs to whom she was no miracle at all, for I worked or looked for work and for Emily's father who "could no longer endure" (he wrote in his good-bye note) "sharing want with us." (p. 9) From this it becomes clear that the mother recognizes that she was unable to give Emily the attention she needed. When she says that Emily was a miracle to her but not to the woman downstairs, she reflects her guilt for having left her daughter in the care of someone who didn't or could not love her as much as she deserved. Emily has now turned into a woman who keeps much to herself. She doesn't like sharing her life with her mother because she has somehow come to accept that this is the kind of relationship she has with her mother. The mother on the other hand would want deeper connection with her daughter but understands that since Emily had always been treated with anxious and not generous love, her growth was instilled with insecurity. She loves her daughter, wants to be a part of her life but knows it is no longer possible. Looking at Emily now as she enters the house, the mother observes: "She is coming. She runs up the stairs two at a time with her light graceful step, and I know she is happy tonight. Whatever it was that occasioned your call did not happen today" (p. 19) Through stream of consciousness, we gather several important things about their relationship and what caused a deep strain on it. For one, we learn that mother is guilty for not providing her first child with generous attention but she also understands why she was unable to do so. Emily's father had left when she was only one, her mother had to learn to adjust herself into a new household with a new husband and as other children came, Emily went deeper into the back. And the mother also blames her lack of knowledge for the child's strained growth. At one point she says: "I did not know then what I know now" (p. 11) and "What in me demanded that goodness in her" (p. 12) - meaning she is using her present knowledge to assess and understand her past behavior and that of her daughter's as well. Mother is the central character in the story and Emily is what she constructs for us. It is through her consciousness that we construct Emily or have an image of her. She is a nineteen year old who is not close to her mother at all. The mother was approached by school counselor as they felt that Emily was disturbed and needed help but while the mother would love to help, she is basically clueless. Clueless not because she doesn't know what is causing her present behavior but because she has no idea as to how it can be effectively influenced. "You think because I am her mother I have a key, or that in some way you could use me as a key She has lived for nineteen years. There is all that life that has happened outside of me, beyond me" (p. 9). Outside of me and beyond me are key terms

The Express Transportation And Logistics Industry Commerce Essay

The Express Transportation And Logistics Industry Commerce Essay Using examples from FedEx Corporation and your own research on the Global Transportation and Logistics Industry, critically evaluate the: Strategic Vision and visionary Leadership behind FedEx Corporation Federal Express is a global express transportation and logistics company that offers customers a single source for global shipping, logistics, and supply chain solutions. It was founded in 1973 by Frederick W. Smith. Since its inception FedEx pioneered the express delivery industry. The company focused on the core business of express delivery and provided overnight delivery services to the customers globally. However, the transformation of businesses and customers from old economy to the new economy forced FedEx to reposition itself from overnight delivery service to a one-stop-shop for the entire logistics requirement of the business. The company became the logistics service provider of leading organizations, like, General Motors. Background: During the late 1960s, Frederick Smith (Smith) chanced upon an idea to start an airline courier company. During this period, it was common practice to send packages as cargo on commercial carriers like American, United or Delta Airlines. This practice had a number of drawbacks because passenger airlines usually operated during the daytime and were grounded at night. In addition, freight forwarders (the company responsible for carrying the packages from the airport to the destination address) usually did not offer home delivery. Smith felt the need to start an airline courier company that would address all these problems. During his college years, he recognized that the United States was becoming a service-oriented economy and needed a reliable, overnight delivery service company designed to solely transport packages and documents. He wrote a Yale term paper on this idea, and received C grade. His professor thought it would never work. Fortunately for Frederick Smith, he didnt take it to heart and ended up building that company he dreamed of.Smith found investors willing to contribute $40 million, used $8 million in family money, and received bank financing. He started Federal Express with over $80 million, making it the largest company of its time ever funded by venture capital. In the last 36 years, FedEx has expanded horizontally with its five subsidiaries to include FedEx Express (formerly Federal Express), FedEx Ground (formerly Roadway Package System), FedEx Custom Critical (formerly Roberts Express), FedEx Logistics (formerly Caliber Logistics), and Viking Freight. As a result, the FedEx family has been able to compete collectively in the express transportation and logistics industries. FedExs strategy is to corroborate on selling and synergies for all FedEx companies, but run operations separately and keep each companys strengths and markets separate. Today, services offered by FedEx include worldwide express delivery, ground small-parcel delivery, less-than-truckload freight delivery, and global logistics, supply chain management, and electronic commerce solutions. Federal Express is the worlds largest package delivery company today. FedEx began its operations with the sole focus of improving customer segmentation, pricing and quality of services for the overnight delivery market in the United States. Since then, it has grown to provide leading document and freight services for the entire North America and for over 212 countries abroad. Federal Express Corporation had the visionary leadership to become the first mover in the express transportation and logistics industry leaving FedEx with one source of differentiation: their ability to help in the control of the entire supply chain management. FedEx Firsts Company dedicated to overnight package delivery Offer next-day delivery by 10h30 Offer Saturday deliveries Offer a time definitive service for freight Money-back guarantees and free proof of performance services that now extend to its worldwide network The companys ability to use technology and create its own supply of resources has made it difficult for competitors to match the companys standards for service.FedEx has been successful mainly because of their technological advancements. Technology has allowed them to have superior customer service and quality that was unparalleled by any company. No company was able to offer overnight delivery of packages with the speed and precision that Federal Express did. FedExs modeling capability gave them a competitive advantage as they implemented new methods and technology. They currently have a SuperHub with several regional hubs and packages are managed and tracked by a system called COSMOS. COSMOS Customers, Operations and Services Master Online System, a centralized computer system to manage people, packages, vehicles and weather scenarios in real time. This system allowed customers to know where their packages are at all times and was later integrated for web use, allowing customers to track packages over the Internet. In addition, the customized delivery service of the company is unique in the market. Mission Statement The Mission Statement of FedEx is to produce superior financial returns for stockholders, by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related information services through focused operating companies. Customer requirements will be met in the highest quality manner appropriate to each market segment served. FedEx will strive to develop mutually rewarding relationships with its employees, partners and suppliers. Safety will be the first consideration in all operations. Corporate activities will be conducted to the highest ethical and professional standards. This mission statement shows that FedEx has a clear focus. (1) The main focus is to bring returns to stockholders. (2) They will emphasize adding value above and beyond just their service of transporting an object from one place to another. (3) Their focus of operations will be logistics, transportation, and related information. This mission statement is focused enough to keep FedEx from diversifying into for example, food products; yet vague enough to allow growth in all of those areas.   Philosophy Federal Express holds a People-Service-Profit philosophy. The People goal is the continuous improvement of managements leadership. The Service standard is 100 percent customer satisfaction. The Profit goal is much like any other companys goal, and is essential to long-term viability. This philosophy governs how FedEx runs its business, and defines strategies. Federal Express Five-Point Strategy Federal Express has five strategies that govern business tactics. These are to improve service levels, lower unit costs, establish international leadership and sustain profitability, get closer to the customer, and maintain the People-Service-Profit Philosophy. The unique FedEx operating strategy works seamlessly and simultaneously on three levels. Compete collectively  by standing as one brand worldwide and speaking with one voice. Operate independently  by focusing on our independent networks to meet distinct customer needs. Manage collaboratively  by working together to sustain loyal relationships with our workforce, customers and investors. Values People: We value our people and promote diversity in our workplace and in our thinking. Service: Our absolutely, positively spirit puts our customers at the heart of everything we do. Innovation: We invent and inspire the services and technologies that improve the way we work and live. Integrity: We manage our operations, finances and services with honesty, efficiency and reliability. Responsibility: We champion safe and healthy environments for the communities in which we live and work. Loyalty: We earn the respect and confidence of our FedEx people, customers and investors every day, in everything we do Transportation and logistics infrastructure within FedEx Corporation FedEx started its operation by sending eight packages on the first night, of which 7 were trial run addresses from one employee to another. The company has since grown to handling an astonishing 9.8 million shipments per day. An overview of FedExs Infrastructure: Handling 9.8 million shipments per day More than 700 aero planes, Daily lift capacity of 12 million kilograms Servicing more than 220 countries through 375 airports Workforce of more than 140,000 permanent employees worldwide 500,000 calls are dealt with professionally With this Infrastructure and new ones being added over time , the Purple Promise of I will make every FedEx experience outstanding is achieved with the collection and delivery of each shipment. Physical goods when transported over trucks on a highway usually travel the most frequented routes. But as more vehicles start traversing that highway, and as the trips become longer, packages get delayed, go astray, arrive spoiled, or dont arrive at all. To solve this problem, faster, more attentive carriers with their own hardware and infrastructure came into being: FedEx, UPS, Airborne Express, and so on. These new carriers pay attention to speed, tracking, billing, quality of service and automation. They also devised systems that didnt travel through the middle of town, except for final delivery, and didnt change hands en route. And finally, they offered lots of optional services to make life easier for both shipper and recipient. Home delivery infrastructure: As part of Infrastructure expansion plans of its U.S. delivery network, FedEx Corp. will add another 9 distribution hubs, bringing its total number of hubs to 39. In addition, a new home-delivery facility planned for Florida will be able to process more than 10,000 packages per hour. The three hubs that are under construction are in Dallas, Cincinnati and Hagerstown, MD, the fourth hub in Memphis, TN. The hub expansion project will also expand the 30 existing hubs; this will nearly double the companys average daily hub package volume capacity by the end of its 2010 fiscal year. The expansion project will support a sharp growth in FedExs shipments to consumers on behalf of online retailers. The new Florida satellite distribution center, in Pompano Beach near Fort Lauderdale, will be three times the size of the two existing facilities combined, and will open with a workforce of approximately 356 employees and independent contractors, an increase from the current combined figure of 200 employees and independent contractors. FedEx Smart Posts best-of-breed technology ensures swift package processing and delivery. This technology provides shipment visibility throughout the delivery process of the packages while they are en route to their destinations. This enables to know always where the packages are and where theyre going next. Advanced control systems, sophisticated automated sorters, and state-of-the-art data-collection devices enable FedEx to collect detailed information about every package. And the highly proficient logistics team is fully equipped to sort hundreds of thousands of packages each day. The client tools are housed on a secure Web site, customized to meet the unique needs of each client. These tools provide timely access to package delivery information, logistics analysis, manifest detail, and billing statements, as well as the ability to create necessary reports needed in planning the package delivery strategy. As a leader in the package delivery industry, FedEx provides with data and reporting needed to examine and enhance logistics operations on an ongoing basis. Virtual information infrastructure at FedEx Corporation. Though FedEx began as an express air delivery company in the early 1970s, it has successfully transformed itself into an integrated transportation and logistics service provider. A major part of FedExs success is directly attributed to its committed use of information technology (IT). IT has not only facilitated its business processes like operations, customer service and employee training but also integrated its information network with that of its clients to provide them with seamless logistic and supply chain solutions. Dennis Jones, former Chief Information Officer (CIO) of FedEx says IT (information technology) is a function that has a strategic value because the essence of our business is taking a basic service and adding information technology services to transform into a value added product. And that is very important. Any company can move freight from point A to point B. But the way you make it a valuable product to your customer is to wrap it with intensive information technology capabilities. Leveraging Information Technology In the late 1970s, FedEx saw a great benefit in using IT to simplify its business processes. Smith had very early on understood that speed, reliability and customer service was an essential factor for success in the global transportation industry. IT in Human Resources FedEx had in place Interactive Video Instructions (IVI) that allowed employees to take advantage of slack periods to train themselves at any time of the day. The program was used for training and test preparation (Customer service employees at FedEx were tested twice a year on job knowledge). IT in Customer Service FedEx also used IT to improve upon its customer service, by monitoring various aspects of a customers transaction. The goal was to achieve 100% accuracy, quality, and customer satisfaction on all transactions. One such system that FedEx used was the Service Quality index (SQI) that quantified every part of a transaction like Was the package undamaged? Was the customer billed correctly? Using the Internet The widespread use of the Internet from the early 1990s threw open significant opportunities for FedEx. Since the company already had an EDI based system on which it had spent a lot of money, FedEx decided to use a combination of Internet and the EDI. One example was the implementation done for the purchasing of products. FedEx purchased a product from a company called Ariba. Ariba was a requisitioning system that was housed on the FedEx intranet. The system was set up so that suppliers could maintain a database of catalogs that could be accessed by any FedEx employee. The company website hosts more than 6.3 million unique visitors per month and handles on an average over 2.4 million package tracking requests daily. More than 2 million customers connected with the company electronically every day, and electronic transactions accounted for almost two-thirds of the more than five million shipments FedEx delivered daily. FedEx operates one of the worlds largest computer and telecommunications networks- more than 75,000-networked computers and thousands of hand-held computers that recorded and tracked shipments. FedExs data center processes more than 20 million information management system transactions daily, more than any other US company. The company is involved in connecting 39 hubs across the globe, operating 677 planes and 90,000 vehicles, monitoring 200,000 employees and delivering six million packages daily in 220 countries where every second was important. This is the FEDEX EDGE, for which the company is known for. FedEx transformed both customer and business transportation model with higher speed, reliability, application of information technology, improved material handling system and streamlined logistics network. The company popularized the concepts of just-in-time and build-to-order which reduced customers lead time and increased productivity. Apart from venturing into logistics solution provider the company was able to maintain its leadership position in small package and light freight market through its unique hub and spoke model. The role information technology has played in FedExs strategy is exciting. By using IT as a major part of its business, FedEx has reached an almost entirely new group of people. It has maintained its reputation and increased its business at the same time. IT has created a greater opportunity for customers in the global market. They can now request service, pay for that service, and track the package online. Customers no longer need to speak to FedEx. They are now free to order as they need, twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. Because of this, FedExs strategy has changed. It is now focused on the use of the Internet and other technological advances. Because this is such a critical aspect of the strategy, the implementation of the strategy had to be almost immediate. To compete with other major businesses in the industry, FedEx had to provide a service to customers that could be accessed using technology. They also had to provide a package tracking service. As they develope d this service, their reputation and business grew. FedEx has done several things with its value chain to develop new business. First they have always recognized the need to have technology and IT work to communicate the logistics that they run. They have developed internet technologies that work simply and efficiently to enable customers and sellers to use FedEx as a go between. This has enabled many companies to integrate FedEx technology into their own web sites for customers to use. Question Two: Branding and business structure up until 19 January 2000 Using information from the case study and your own research, critically evaluate the benefits and limitations of Merger and Acquisition (MA) strategies in the Global Transportation and Logistics Industry. Discuss how FedEx Corporation managed the acquisition of Caliber Systems in 1998, and determine whether or not the acquisition of Caliber Systems was a success or failure? Mergers acquisitions in the Transportation Logistics industry The Transport and Logistics (TL) sector is characterized by a significant level of privatisation, finance-raising and merger and acquisition activity. Transactions are often complex and impacted by the regulatory environment, competition issues, or need for contracted subsidies to support operations. We have witnessed many privatizations of bus companies, ports and airports which have created successful private sector groups that have continued to grow via further acquisitions. In other segments there is ongoing global consolidation within and between operators from the courier, parcel, freight forwarding and contract logistics arenas. Postal organizations and railway companies that have historically been more nationally oriented are now seeking opportunities to expand into cross-border markets driven by a more commercial focus and liberal regulatory regime. Transportation Logistics The Transportation Logistics (TL) industry forms the backbone of global supply chains. Postal operators as well as large logistics providers play a dominant role as key stakeholders in the TL industry. In recent years some former national Posts have undergone an extensive transformation to emerge as multinational providers of complex logistics and financial services. These evolved entities face new competition in their core markets of mail delivery through the liberalization of markets and privatization. At the same time, former Posts may be able to leverage their years of experience in collecting, processing, transporting and delivering national and international mail in order to develop and provide a broader palette of logistics based services, upstream with direct mail activities and downstream with package delivery and payment services. Further, many existing logistics and express companies have expanded well beyond simple delivery services and are now managing all aspects of the supply chain. These ongoing trends have changed the face of an industry which has become increasingly focused on serving customers in all parts of the world. Mergers and Acquisitions: Three types Merger: A transaction where two firms agree to integrate their operations on a relatively coequal basis because they have resources and capabilities that together may create a stronger competitive advantage. Acquisition: A transaction where one firm buys another firm with the intent of more effectively using a core competence by making the acquired firm a subsidiary within its portfolio of businesses. Takeover: An acquisition where the target firm did not solicit the bid of the acquiring firm. Problems in Achieving Success Integration Difficulties/Cultures Inadequate evaluation of target Too much diversification Large or extraordinary debt Inability to achieve synergy Managers overly focused on acquisitions Too large Increased market power Overcome ent entry barriers Lower risk compared to developing new products Cost of new product development Increased speed to market Increased diversification Avoid excessive competition Acquisitions Reasons for Acquisitions Benefits of Acquisitions Increased Market Power: Acquisition intended to reduce the competitive balance of the industry Overcome Barriers to Entry: Acquisitions overcome costly barriers to entry which may make start-ups economically unattractive Lower Cost and Risk of New Product Development: Buying established businesses reduces risk of start-up ventures Increased Speed to Market: Closely related to Barriers to Entry, allows market entry in a more timely fashion Diversification: Quick way to move into businesses when firm currently lacks experience and depth in industry Reshaping Competitive Scope: Firms may use acquisitions to restrict its dependence on a single or a few products or markets Problems with Acquisitions Only a financial team assembled and they make the decision (should have two teams: one financial and one organizational where the organizational Team says Yes or No Integration Difficulties: Differing financial and control systems can make integration of firms difficult Inadequate Evaluation of Target: Winners Curse bid causes acquirer to overpay for firm Large or Extraordinary Debt: Costly debt can create onerous burden on cash outflows Inability to Achieve Synergy: Justifying acquisitions can increase estimate of expected benefits Overly Diversified: Acquirer doesnt have expertise required to manage unrelated businesses Managers Overly Focused on Acquisitions: Managers may fail to objectively assess the value of outcomes achieved through the firms acquisition strategy Too Large: Large bureaucracy reduces innovation and flexibility FedEx Corporation has made 31 acquisitions while taking stakes in 3 companies. FedEx Corporation has 22 divestitures during this period. FedEx-Caliber Merger: Reason for Merger: FedEx and Caliber believe that the combination of the two companies will permit their customers to take advantage of a broader portfolio of services and choices at a level of excellence unmatched by any competitor. Stockholders of both companies will become stockholders of a $15 billion powerhouse in global transportation and logistics. When FedEx announced in October 1997 that it was buying Caliber System for $2.4 billion, observers warned that the merger could disrupt FedExs already profitable express shipping business. Observers were wrong. FedEx finalized its Caliber System merger in January 1998, and by the end of that year, the new company, FDX, was posting a seven percent increase over the same quarter the year before. Domestic income grew 30 percent that period, from $168 million to $217 million. The company claimed that its tough cost controls and low fuel prices contributed to this short-term growth. FedEx subsidiaries that came from Caliber Systems also grew. RPS, the largest subsidiary besides FedEx, grew 14 percent for the period, while Viking Freight grew seven percent. In the long-run, the merger strengthened FedExs overall health. UPS largely rebounded from a crippling 15-day strike in 1997, and now the two companies compete head-to-head for the express-shipping business in most markets. While FedEx does battle, several smaller companies continue their reliable service for niche markets, such as logistics operations, business-to-business transportation, overseas shipping, and small package delivery. FedEx has ensured its long-term survival by buying several of these smaller companies. After the Caliber System merger, FedEx included six operating divisions: FedEx; RPS, the second-largest small-package shipping business; Roberts Express, the worlds largest express trucking firm; Viking Freight, a leading regional trucking company; Caliber Logistics, a logistics outsourcing firm; and Caliber Technology, an order fulfillment operation. Question Three: Events leading up to the January 2000 reorganisation Using appropriate examples from FedEx Corporation, critically evaluate FedExs financial and non-financial performance in the context of developments in the Internet market and e-tailing up to the January 2000 reorganisation. Financial Performance Analysis FedEx has an impressive performance record. In 1998 they had revenues of $15.9 billion grown 15 percent from 1997. Sales have been growing steadily for the past five years. The net income, though, isnt that impressive. It even declined in 1997, from the rising fuel costs during that year. However, in 1998 it grew from $200,000 to $500,000. That could be from reduction in operating costs, or from the acquisition of the subsidiaries which had lower operating costs compared to Federal Express. FedExs financial statements shows that its assets have not been utilized as well as other firms in their industry, but their profitability is better than other industry firms. Still they must decrease selling and administrative expenses while increasing sales. Many of their technological advancements have been financed primarily with internal cash, which decreases long-term debt. Future assets possibly and should be invested in the international market and new businesses, while still investing a decent percentage for technological advancements. Today FedEx has a competitive advantage over other firms and if they continue the practices that they have in the past, while also opening up to new ideas, FedEx will remain a powerhouse in the package delivery industry. The financial ratios for FedEx clearly show that it is the market leader in this industry, have outstanding sales, a healthy profit, and a safe amount of debt. These ratios over time show a steady increase, except for year 1997, where fuel costs hurt FedEx deeply. Company Analysis In this section we shall discuss FedExs strengths and weaknesses as a company, opportunities and threats. S.W.O.T. Analysis Company Strengths and Resource Capabilities: Globalism: Federal Express operates on a global scale in 211 countries. They provide services that appeal to most of the world, realize tremendous revenues and also achieve global economies of scale. Innovation: Federal Express took airplanes and trucks and used them differently than any other company before them. This is innovation. They have first-mover advantage in name recognition because of this innovation. This has helped them to remain the industry leader since 1973. Technology and Communication: Federal Express uses and continues to search for new technology. They allow spending of $1billion a year, 10% of total revenues, for information technology. That commitment keeps customers from switching to other providers. Federal Express also has excellent communication with their customers. They use tracking devices on all shipments, and customers can find out where their shipment is through many different avenues including a user-friendly Web site. Federal Express customers are assured that FedEx will always be on top of technology. Strategic Vision: Federal Express will always have competent top managers in charge of strategic direction. Frederick Smith built an industry leader, and kept it in that position since 1973. First-Mover Advantage: Federal Express has had first-mover advantage in several areas. (1) Being a global express transportation company. (2) Advanced technology and communication throughout the companys operations. (3) Incorporating smaller companies with similar operations under its belt to synergize and control more of the market. Strong Brand Image: In 1990, Federal Express became the first company awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the service category. In 1994, Federal Express became the first global express transportation company to obtain simultaneous system-wide ISO 9001 certification in international quality standards. Federal Express has also developed their own quality system that matches their customers standards. Company Weaknesses and Resource Deficiencies: Rising Prices: Federal Express prices are above their competitors. This can be a weakness if their customers do not perceive a difference between Federal Express and its competitors services. Labor Disputes with Pilots: Federal Express pilots have formed the Fedex Pilots Association. This organization demanded changes in the pilots salaries, retirement benefits, and the fact that Federal Express outsources some foreign flights instead of giving their own pilots the job. The pilots have a Web site where news is posted and feelings are discussed. During the busy Christmas season in 1998, the pilots threatened to strike. Federal Express and the Fedex Pilots Association have developed a tentative agreement, which is published on the pilots Web site. However, the pilots do not believe this agreement fully meets their expectations. This dispute is definitely an internal weakness for Federal Express, considering they have 3,500 pilots employed with them. Their operations would suffer if there were strikes. When UPS employees went on strike in 1997, Federal Express took the extra 800,000 shipments a day. If Federal Express employees went on strike, their competitors could gain an advantage. Running Subsidiaries Separately: FDX has deliberately chosen to keep their companies separate. In FDXs 1998 Annual Report, CEO Frederick Smith states, Simply layering the unique resource and operating requirements of a time-definite, global, express-delivery network onto a day-definite, ground small-package network would surely result in diminished service quality and increased costs. Under the FDX umbrella, we will leverage our shared strengths while operating each delivery network independently, with each focused on its respective markets. Frederick Smith is confident this will be a strength, instead of a weakness. Time will tell. Company Opportunities: Expansion Globally: Federal Express can continue to expand globally, including the other companies under FedEX. Expansion Internally: Federal Express can continue to acquire more companies, and expand into new technologies or areas in their industry. Run Subsidiaries Together: If FDX doe

Jahari Window Essay

The Johari Window, named after the first names of its inventors, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, is one of the most useful models describing the process of human interaction. A four paned â€Å"window† divides personal awareness into four different types, as represented by its four quadrants: open, hidden, blind, and unknown. The lines dividing the four panes are like window shades, which can move as an interaction progresses (Daft, 2011 pg. 273-276). The Johari Window concept would be particularly helpful for leaders to promote understanding employee/employer relationships and is a simple and useful tool for illustrating and improving self-awareness, and mutual understanding between individuals within a group. The Johari Window actually represents information such as feelings, experience, views, attitudes, skills, intentions, motivation, etc, within or about a person, in relation to their group, from four perspectives (Daft, 2011, pg. 275). The Johari Window model can also be used to represent the same information for a group in relation to other groups. Johari Window terminology refers to ‘self’ and ‘others’: ‘self’ means oneself, ie, the person subject to the Johari Window analysis. ‘Others’ means other people in the person’s group or team (Dart, 2011, pg. 275). The Johari window, essentially being a model for communication, can also reveal difficulties in this area. In Johari terms, two people attempt to communicate via the open quadrants. On the simplest level, difficulties may arise due to a lack of clarity in the interaction, such as poor grammar or choice of words, unorganized thoughts, faulty logic etc. This induces the receiver to criticize you, the sender, by revealing something that was in your blind quadrant. Then, if the feedback works, you correct it immediately, or perhaps on a more long term approach take a course in reading and writing. On a deeper level, you may be in a group meeting, and while you secretly sympathize with the minority viewpoint, you voted with the majority. However, blind to you, you actually may be communicating this information via body language, in conflict with your verbal message. On an even deeper level, you in an interaction with others, may always put on a smiling, happy face, hiding all negative feelings. By withholding negative feelings, you may be signaling to your friends to withhold also, and keep their distance. Thus, your communication style may seem bland or distant (Chapman, 2010).

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 12

Micha â€Å"Dude, where the fuck is your head today?† Ethan asks and seconds later a grease rag hits me in the face. I throw it back at him, hard. â€Å"You're starting to piss me off with this crap.† Ethan widens his eyes exaggeratedly. â€Å"Whatever man. You've been so distracted for the last two days.† He sticks his head back under the hood. â€Å"And I'm not going to say why.† â€Å"Good, because I don't want to hear it.† I round the back of my car and eye over the tools on the wall of the garage. I grab a rusty toolbox, one of the few things my dad left behind, and toss it into the garbage can. He called again this morning, begging on the answering machine for either my mom or I to pick up. Ethan raises his head up and eyes the garbage can. â€Å"Wanna explain what that was for?† â€Å"Nope.† I pick up a wrench and start working on the car. We work on it for a while, but it's hot and I'm getting more pissed off at my dad by the second. Finally, I move back and throw the wrench down onto the concrete. Ethan doesn't ask questions this time. â€Å"We should have a party tonight,† I announce, unable to hold still. â€Å"A big one, like the one we had on graduation night.† â€Å"You really want to relive that night?† Ethan backs out from under the hood. â€Å"Because I'm not sure I do.† I step outside into the sunlight, determined to get my mind off stuff. â€Å"What you can't remember doesn't hurt, right?† â€Å"I don't think you want to go there.† Ethan walks next to me and we stare down the driveway at an old guy pushing a shopping cart. â€Å"There are plenty of times in my life I wish I could remember – that I'd give anything to remember – but I can't. I lost like a year of my life. It's better to stay within the boundaries of a semi-clear head. Besides, this doesn't sound like you at all. What's up?† â€Å"Nothing's up.† I sigh, raking my fingers through my hair. â€Å"I'm just thinking out loud.† Ethan returns to the garage and starts working on the engine again. Around sophomore year, he started hanging out with these kids at school, who had really heavy views on the world and liked to sit around and get high while they talked about it. Ethan somehow ended up being friends with them, and within a month, he had dropped out of school and got into some pretty heavy shit. A year later he made the decision to get some help. He cleaned up his life, cut the habits, and worked the hell out of himself to catch up in school. He was a grade behind, but managed to graduate with our year. Looking at him, you wouldn't guess. The side door of Ella's house swings open and Lila steps out. She looks upset, although not as bad as she did last night. She glances up the driveway at the house across the street, where there's a very loud game of tackle football going on in the front yard. Her eyes roam to my house and then widen when she sees that I'm watching her. She gives a tentative wave from the top step. â€Å"Hey, Micha.† â€Å"What's up?† I say with a nod of my chin. â€Å"Is Ella up yet?† Shielding her blue eyes from the sun, she looks up at Ella's window. â€Å"Yeah, she said she'd be out in a second. She's just talking to her brother.† â€Å"He's not being a dick, is he?† â€Å"I'm not sure what constitutes as a brother being a dick, since I don't have one.† A smile cracks at her lips. I walk toward the fence, pulling up my jeans that are riding low on my hips. â€Å"There's no yelling going on?† Lila shakes her head and meets me at the fence, plucking some of her blonde hair away from her mouth. â€Å"But Ella's not much of a yeller, is she?† I rest my arms on the top of the fence. â€Å"It depends on which one we're talking about.† Her face falls. â€Å"How could I know her for eight freaking months and not know anything about her. It must say something about me, right?† I feel bad for her. â€Å"I think Ella kind of made it her mission to keep who she was hidden from you. It's not your fault.† She eyes me over with this suspicious look. â€Å"Honestly, it seems like she's that way with everyone, except for you.† â€Å"We've known each other forever,† I say. â€Å"We have a comfortable relationship.† Her blue eyes twinkle with mischievousness. â€Å"One where you feel her up in the car?† â€Å"It feels like you're trying to start some trouble,† I say, liking the girl even more. â€Å"Maybe I am.† She leans over the fence to the side of me so she can get a better view of the inside of the garage. â€Å"Is that Ethan in there?† I step back so she can get a better look. â€Å"Yep, he's working on the car.† â€Å"I think I'll go give him some help.† A grin spans across her face and she hops over the fence, squealing as her shoe gets caught in the wire. Trying not to laugh at her, I unhook her shoe and she walks into the garage, surprising Ethan. The door to Ella's house opens and my attention centers on her as she steps out into the sunlight. She's wearing a tight, black and purple plaid dress, and knee high lace-up boots, but her hair is curled up neatly. It's like a mix of her old look and her new one. Her face is guarded as she ambles across the driveway, with this strange look in her eyes, like she's terrified yet excited at the same time. â€Å"Did Lila come out here?† She bites her lip and I want to lean over and bite it for her; taste her and feel her like I did last night. Without taking my eyes off her, I nod my head at the garage. â€Å"She's in there with Ethan. I think she might have a thing for him.† â€Å"I think you're right.† She pauses. â€Å"I think I might have freaked her out a little, just barely.† â€Å"You mean you and Dean might have freaked her out a little?† â€Å"She told you I was talking to Dean?† â€Å"She mentioned it.† I extend my hand to her. â€Å"Why don't you come over and join the party on this side of the fence?† â€Å"A party of four?† she asks, trying not to grin and looking as cute as hell. I snag her by the hip, jerk her toward me playfully, and dip my lips to her ear. â€Å"It can be a party of two. Just say the word.† She shivers from the feel of my breath on her neck. â€Å"I think we better keep it a foursome.† I press my fingers into the curve of her hips. â€Å"I didn't know you liked it kinky.† She swats my shoulder and I laugh, my dad problems feeling less heavy. â€Å"Relax, I was just kidding, even though you're the one who brought it up first.† â€Å"I was joking.† â€Å"I know†¦ I think I am going to have a party tonight.† â€Å"Don't you have one of those every night?† I cock my eyebrow. â€Å"Besides the night you showed up, have you seen one going on?† She wrinkles her forehead. â€Å"No.† She sits down on the fence, swinging her legs over to my side. â€Å"Micha, what have you been doing for the last eight months?† â€Å"Pinning for you.† I avoid the truth. That I haven't been doing much of anything besides looking for her and helping my mom take care of things. She tucks her dress underneath her legs and I get a small glimpse of the black lacy panties she has on. â€Å"Where do you work?† Against her protest, I spread her legs apart and put myself between them. â€Å"I work at the shop with Ethan a lot, but it's not going to be forever. I have plans. I'm still working on getting everything lined up.† She places her hands on my chest, holding me back. â€Å"I think the lines between our friendship are getting a little blurred.† â€Å"That happened a long time ago,† I tell her, gliding my palms up the sides of her bare legs. â€Å"At least for me it did.† Her jaw tightens. â€Å"It's things like that which make them blurry and things last night†¦ and things like in the car.† â€Å"There seems to be a lot of things, which I think might be a hint that you and I belong together.† Her eyes snap wide and I back off to try another tactic. She needs to smile and let those stressed lips free. I pinch her side and she squeals. â€Å"Don't do that,† she says, holding back a laugh. â€Å"You know I hate being tickled.† I graze my fingers across her other side and she squirms, before falling over the fence and landing on her back in the grass. I leap over the fence easily as she scrambles to her feet. She narrows her eyes, backing toward her back door. I run up to the side of her and she skitters out of my reach. She glances at the door and then at the front yard, which is closer to her. â€Å"Micha, seriously,† she warns. â€Å"We're too old for this.† I spread my arms out to the side innocently. â€Å"I'm not doing anything.† Her eyes flick to her house one last time and then shaking her head, she spins around and runs for the front yard. I give her a head start before I sprint off after her. When I round the house, she's up on the front porch, jiggling the door knob. I laugh at her. â€Å"Is it locked?† She heaves a frustrated sigh and hops over the railing, slipping on the grass. â€Å"Dammit Micha! I'm so going to kick your ass for this.† â€Å"I'm planning on holding you to that threat.† I jog after her across the neighbor's yard. She races across the grass, her hair falling out of a clip. She leaps over the brick fence into the next yard and smashes a row of flowers. Without using my hands, I hop onto the fence, but trip during my dismount and fall on my knees. She freezes in the middle of the lawn and starts to laugh at me. â€Å"You so deserved that.† I get to my feet, dusting the dirt off my knees, and a dark smile rises on my face. â€Å"You think that's funny?† Her eyes sparkle and it's worth the fall. â€Å"You look ridiculous.† â€Å"Do I?† I take a step toward her. She takes a step back. â€Å"You do.† Abruptly the sprinklers turn on, drenching the grass and her. She screams and covers her head with her arms. â€Å"Serves you right for laughing at me,† I say with a grin. She lets her arms fall to the side and smirks. â€Å"Well, at least it keeps you away from me.† Her dress is clinging to her body in all the right places and pieces of her wet hair stick to the sides of her face. She begins to twirl in circles with her hands up above her head. â€Å"You're beautiful,† I say, unable to help myself. Ella Micha looks ridiculous and I can't help but laugh. I haven't laughed in so long that it feels unnatural leaving my mouth. It's like we're kids again, as if this moment belongs in another time where things are weightless and full of sunshine. As I'm laughing at him, the sprinklers turn on and my clothes instantly get soaked. At first I squeal, but then I let go, lifting my hands above my head and twirling in the water, figuring he won't come in after me. He calls out something about me being beautiful and then he charges into the sprinklers, completely blind-siding me. His arms snake around my waist and we collapse to the ground but Micha holds my weight up, so I land on the wet grass gently. â€Å"Micha,† I say, trying to be serious. â€Å"Don't do it. You know how much I hate being tickled.† â€Å"Which makes it even more appealing.† Water beads in his hair, his long eyelashes, his lips. With one hand, he pins my arms above my head and presses his body against mine. My wet clothes cling to my skin and I can feel every part of him. â€Å"I take that back. This is more appealing.† He lets his hand move up my ribs, his thumb sketching along the ridges, sending my body into a frenzy. I stop fighting him and lay perfectly still. Water sprinkles our faces as he lowers his lips to mine. Our wet tongues twine together, full of desire as they collide. A strange, unfamiliar feeling opens inside of me again and my legs fall apart and hook around his waist, requesting more of him, like they did last night. Micha draws back, looking surprised as he glances at the house to the side of us and then at the street. Then he lets out an untamed growl and deepens the kiss, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth. I suck on his bottom lip and trace my tongue along his lip ring. It sends a quiver through his body and I'm secretly pleased, but my pleasure confuses me. â€Å"Ella,† he groans and then kisses me fiercely. His hand travels upward and cups my breasts. His thumb circles around my nipple and through the wet fabric of my clothes, the feeling is mind blowing. It's driving me wild and my knees vice-grip against his hips. A moan laced with ecstasy crumbles from my lips. I'm starting to lose control again and it's alarming. I try to get past it this time, but it consumes me and I have to stop. After a lot of effort, I get my arms between our bodies and I push him away. â€Å"We should get back.† I look at the brick home of the yard we're laying in. â€Å"Besides if Miss Fenerly comes out, she'll have a heart attack.† Micha's aqua eyes penetrate me. There's mud on his forehead and grass in the locks of his blonde hair. â€Å"If that's what you want.† Maneuvering to his feet, he takes my hand and lifts me to mine. He plucks pieces of grass out of my hair and lets his hand linger on my cheek. Holding hands, we walk across the grass and down the sidewalk, leaving a trail of water behind us and something else. Something invisible to the outside eye, but to me it's more noticeable than the sun in the sky.